Construction has begun at the historic attraction in Wiltshire and the learning centre will feature a STEM discovery lab and digital studio as well as a classroom in the shape of a Neolithic hall with space for up to 30 young people.
The new facility, which is expected to open for the 2026/27 academic year, will include a STEM in Heritage programme for school groups to allow more schools to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site. This programme will explore science, technology, engineering and maths at the English Heritage attraction.
A Clore Discovery Lab, Weston Learning Studio, digital production studio, Wolfson Foyer and an open-air courtyard to support sensory learning will all be based inside the new dedicated learning centre.
Modern equipment and accessible, inclusive practical facilities, including a changing places space and a smaller break out area for those with alternative educational needs will also be included to make the facility acccessible for those with additional educational needs.
Steve Bax, English Heritage’s operations director for Stonehenge and West, said: “Around 48,000 children visit Stonehenge on free school trips every year, and a further 12,000 on our expert-led Discovery Visits. As a charity, one of our main purposes is to provide everyone with memorable learning experiences but, at Stonehenge, we are currently unable to meet the demand.
“Expanding our offering with the new dedicated Learning Centre will transform our ability to deliver incredible educational experiences for students and instil a lifelong love of learning in every single child.
“At Stonehenge, students can trace the impact of human activity on the environment, learn how prehistoric engineers raised the stones, explore the relationship between the sun and Stonehenge and discover how geophysical surveys can uncover buried secrets. Our new facilities aim to make these STEM topics far more accessible to students who struggle to engage with them in a traditional classroom environment.”
Educational visits to Stonehenge
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stonehenge includes the world-famous Stone Circle, an exhibition featuring more than 250 archaeological discoveries, reconstructed face of a 5,500 year old man and hands-on exhibits, and a Neolithic village dating back to approximately 2,500 BC.
English Heritage currently offers free self-led school trips to Stonehenge and more than 400 other historic sites across the country. School visits to Stonehenge have curriculum links to history and geography for Key Stages 1 - 3, geography for Key Stage 4 and business/leisure and tourism for Key Stages 4 -5.
Expert-led immersive discovery visit workshops are also available Tuesdays to Thursdays during term time. Lasting two hours, topics available are Stonehenge and its landscape, Neolithic life and myths and legends.
For more information about school visits to Stonehenge, go to english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge.
